Game apparatus



G. E. MACY GAME APPARATUS June-15, 1937.

Filed Aug. 29, 1932 In yenfbr GemyetI/Vacy Patented June 15, 1937 UNiTETA'EE 4 Claims.

vide a game apparatus ior playing a manner of tennis or ping-pong with atethered ball; to provide such apparatus requiring a certain amount ofskill for playing same; and to provide such apparatus involving theskill and exercise ordi- -narily acquired in ping-pong or tennis gamesplay.

Fig. 2 shows a paddle of the type used for playing the game.

Fig. 3 shows anenlarged partly sectioned detail of a swivel device fromwhich the tethered ball. is suspended.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a goal.

Fig. 5 shows a side view of a goal.

In the form shown in the drawing, my improved game apparatus comprises avertical member I, mounted upon a cross or stand 2 and having a ball 3suspended from its top by means of a flexible tether or string 4. Goals5, laterally spaced from the vertical member 1, are supported by meansof downwardly extending membus 6, which in the form shown, are removablysecured in the extremities of the cross members forming'the stand 2.

At the top of the vertical member I, a swivel or pivoting member I isprovided for supporting the ball 3. The swivel 1 comprises a wire bentto form a helicalcoil 8 having a pair of relatively widely spaced,substantially horizontal turns 21. An upright rod or cylindrical memberI0 having a head II on its upper end, is placed axially through the coil8 and secured in top of the vertical member I.

The wire from which the swivel l is formed, projects downwardly from theuppermost turn 9 of the coil 8, and is curved so as to extend downwardlyfrom the plane of the uppermost turn 9,

the downwardly projecting portion terminating in a vertical loop Ill.The other end of the wire forming the swivel I terminates in the bottom"most turn 9 of the coil 8 and turned upwardly so that the square end ofthe wire will not ride or bear against the top of the vertical member l,the upper surface of which is preferably rounded to provide a betterappearing surface.

The purpose of curving the downwardly pro jecting portion of the swivelI is to prevent the tether from wrapping around the swivel arm, as wouldbe possible were the arm horizontal. Thus if the tether 4 should for anyreason tend to wrap around the arm, it will immediately slide downwardlyand off from the same, so thatthe ball 3 will always hang free forimmediate play.

The pole or vertical member I may be made of any suitable material, suchas wood, steel tubing or pipe, and may be made either in one piece or insections. The tether or string 4 which supports the ball 3 should beflexible, and no heavier than is necessary to provide suflicientstrength to withstand the strain of play. The string or tether may bemade of cotton, silk, or any other suitable flexible material.

The ball 4 may be made of celluloid or rubber,

or any other suitable material that would provide sufiicient liveliness,as would be found in the usual ping-pong ball or tennis ball. The sizeof the ball is proportioned according to its use in either an outdoor orindoor game, and according to the size of the rackets or paddles used toput the ball in play.

The ball may be attached directly to the string or tether, or may beenclosed in a cloth or net bag and the bag attached to the string ortether, either by means of a hook or by tying the string or tetherthrough a loop on the end of the bag.

The goals may be made of any desired shape, so long as they areproportioned so that the ball will be readily received Within them, andthey preferably comprise a loop or ring formed of wire mounted onsuitable supporting members so that they may be supported in properrelation with the base 2 and the vertical member I, either directly fromthe base 2 or from the ground or surface upon which the apparatus is setup.

In playing the game, either rackets, paddles or the players bare handsmay be used to strike the ball, and it is the object of the game todrive the ball in such a way that it will enter one of the rings orgoals and be retained thereby. The length of the tether or string 4 issuch that the ball is held suspended a short ways above the base of thevertical member I, and the goals 5 are so positioned that they arewithin the limits of the possible movement of the ball 3 as allowed bythe tether 4.

In the form shown in the drawing, the equip-- ment is arranged with twogoals positioned diametrically opposite each other, and the game isplayed by two players, the server and the receiver, standing on oppositesides of the vertical member or pole, with the goals to the right andleft of each player.

The game is started by one player, the server, hitting the ball so thatit does not touch any of the equipment until it has passed in front ofthe receiver. Thus in serving, the server attempts to make the ball passover one ring or goal and enter the other ring as it swings back in anarc towards him. The receiver attempts to hit the ball as it passes infront of him, thus preventing a score by the server, and at the sametime drive the ball directly into either ring or goal.

The players continue hitting the ball and try-- ing to drive it into oneof the goals until one is successful or until the ball becomes dead.Whenever a score is made in one of the goals, or the ball becomes deadthrough a fault or foul, another serve is made. A score is made for theplayer who last hit the ball when the ball passes through or into eithergoal from any direction, except when the server hits the ball directlyinto a goal before the ball has completed a half circle, in which case ascore is made for the receiver. In all cases, the ball must be hit withthe racket or hand in order to count. A score is counted for thereceiver if the server when serving causes the ball to touch any of theequipment before the ball has completed a half circlethat is, before ithas passed through the receivers territory. A score is counted for theopponent of the player who touches any of the stationary equipment withhis paddle at any time. This score does not make the ball dead, but theplay continues. A score is counted for the opponent of the player whopermits the ball to wind around his hand or paddle and thus become dead,that is, when the ball does notunwind itself of its own accord. Anyeffort to aid the unwinding loses the point for the faulting player.

Game is.10 points, and the player who first makes 10 points Wins, or incase of a tie of 9--9 (deuce), the one who makes two successive pointsthereafter becomes the winner. The serve changes as soon as eitherplayer is ahead five points, and the receiver becomes the server.

The score may also be counted as in tennis, in which case one playerserves a full game before the serve changes.

It is apparent that this game may be made in any size, depending uponwhere it is to be used. The indoor game is preferably made with a thirtyinch pole, while for the outdoor game, a nine foot pole or larger isused, depending upon the number of players. The indoor and outdoor gamesare the same in principle, but merely vary in size of equipment andmethods of support.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the hereindescribed game providesa novel form of entertainment requiring almost the same skill as tennisor table tennis, at the same time having the advantage of a tetheredball which cannot be lost or driven away from the playing area. Manygames have been devised which use a tethered ball for play. However,these prior games do not require and develop the skill in the playerthat is necessary to drive the tethered ball into one of the goals, andthe present game' most nearly approaches the type of play that is had inthe usual tennis or ping-pong games.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that details of the constructionshown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit ofthis invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

I. A game apparatus comprising a base, a vertical member mounted on saidbase, a tethered ball suspended from said vertical member, and a goalcomprising a closed loop spaced laterally from said vertical member anddisposed in a plane radial therefrom, said goal having laterally projecting arms diverging from said radial plane and secured at their endsto said base.

2. A game apparatus comprising a base, a vertical member mounted on saidbase, a ball suspended from said vertical member on a flexible tether,and a goal comprising a closed loop spaced laterally from said verticalmember and disposed in a plane radial therefrom, said goal comprising awire bent at its middle and twisted to form said closed loop, said wirehaving its ends extending laterally from one side of the vertical axisof said loop and diverging symmetrically from the plane thereof, saidwire ends being secured in said base.

3. A game apparatus comprising a base, a vertical member mounted on saidbase, a tethered ball suspended from said vertical member, and a goalcomprising a closed loop spaced laterally from said vertical member,said goal having downwardly extending diverging arms removably securedin spaced sockets in said base and disposed beyond the limits of themovement of said tethered ball.

4. A batted ball game comprising a suspended tethered ball, and a pairof spaced goals each comprising a vertical loop supported by downwardlyextending supporting means disposed beyond the limits of movement ofsaid tethered ball, said loops being oppositely disposed laterallyrelative to the center of suspension about which said ball moves andwith their planes substantially radial thereto, and said loops beingpositioned to intersect the imaginary spherical surface defined by thepaths of movement of said ball about this center of suspension. GEORGEE. MACY.

